Some of the Many Changes in the Book of Mormon

Joseph Smith said "that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book," (History of the Church, vol. 4, p. 461). Allegedly it was translated by the power of God. Nevertheless, it has some 4,000 changes in it. Some are mere spelling corrections, but others are significant changes. Why is this so if the book of Mormon was translated accurately by the hand of God? Why would the Mormon Church continue to change the work even after Joseph Smith's death?

Following is a very small sample of the changes in the Book of Mormon.

Check them out for yourself.

1830 Edition of the Book of Mormon

1981 Edition of the Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 11:18

"And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin which thou seest, is the mother of [ . . . ] God, after the manner of the flesh

"And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh."

" . . . for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."

Ether 9:2

" . . . nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters, which were not, or which did not seek his destruction."

"Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons, and to his daughters [ . . . ] who did not seek his destruction."

As you can see, the Book of Mormon is a changing document. Where will the Mormon Church change it next?

The primary research for this information was taken from the book 3913 Changes in the Book of Mormon by Jerald and Sandra Tanner. To obtain copies of their work please write to Utah Lighthouse Ministry P.O. Box 1884 Salt Lake City, Utah 84110 or visit their website.

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